Cut down to size: Tree-poisoning Alabama football fan gets three years in prison

The notorious Crimson Tide-crazed football fan and former Texas state trooper who fatally poisoned the huge, beloved 130-year-old oak trees on the campus of Auburn University was sentenced to three years in prison on Friday.

His sentence requires him to serve a minimum of six months in jail (minus 104 days already served since his arrest some two years ago).

The remainder of the sentence will be supervised probation. Under the terms of probation, Updyke, 64, will have a 7 p.m. curfew. He also won’t be able to set foot on Auburn’s campus or attend any college athletic events of any kind.

Lee County Circuit Judge Jacob A. Walker III also fined the Alabama fan $1,000. Updyke may still be required to pay an unspecified amount in restitution.

“We have a significant number of violent felonies awaiting trial in Lee County and I could not in good conscience justify financing a three-week trial merely to arrive at no better a resolution,” Robbie Treese, Lee County’s District Attorney, said in a statement.

Before the plea agreement, Updyke had pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, notes ESPN. The array of charges against him included criminal mischief, desecrating a venerated object and damaging agriculture.

Updyke was arrested after someone referring to himself “Al from Dadeville” called into Paul Finebaum’s popular sports talk radio show.